Labeling-machine.



L. C. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED DEC, 17, 1910.

1,701 9,35 1.. Patented Mar. 5,1912

13 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES.- INVEN'TOR 'A TTORIVEYS L. G. PALMER.

Patented Marf5, 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

INVENTOR WI mz'ssss L. 0. PALMER. LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.17, 1910.

19 5 Patented M21115, 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'Fig 3 L. O. PALMER. LABELING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17, 1910.

1,019,351 Y 'Patented-Mar.5,'1912.

/ 1s SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WIITNESSES m v5 run w: A TTORNEYS L. C. PALMER.'

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION'FILED DEO.17, 1910.

1,019,351.. I Patented Mar. 5,1912,

13 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

WI TNESSES;

L. C. PALMER. LABELING- MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.17, 1910.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

L. C. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE. APPLIUA'IJION FILED DEG.17, 1910,

Patentd Mar. 5, 1912.

1-3 SHEETS-SHEET '7.

m/mlron Lfmm 8 M V i ATTORNEYS L. 0. PALMER. LABELING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION I'ILED DEC. 17 1910.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

IBSHEETS-SHEBT 8.

cbA a:

. WITNESSES L. O. PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED b20217, 1910.

' 019 351 Patented Mar: 5; 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

A BY I |J M Y I TUB/{E 7S Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET l0.

L.O.PALMER.

LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.17, 1910. I

L. G. PALMER.

- LABELING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.1'7, 1910.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

18 SHEETS-SHEET ll.

L. G. PALMER. LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED D120. 17, 1910.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

13 SHEETS-HBl-JT 12.

mmzssss:

WITNESSES L. C. PALMER. LABELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.17, 191 0.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

13SHEETS-SHEET 1S.

1 llwunon A 'olmsrs I L'Cgm ITED s T s ATE OFFICE.

LY NDON C. PALMER, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE F. N. BURT COM-PANY LIMITED, 01? BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF CANADA.

LABELING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Application filed December 17, 1910. Serial No. 597,914.

. skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanism for applying labels to articles, andmore especially to devices for securing labels to boxes.

One object of the invention is the provi-' sion of mechanism forefiiciently past-ing a label to a box.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a comparativelysimple mechanism for applying labels to a large number of boxes in ashort space of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for effectivelyapplying labels to boxes so as to present a smooth and even surface andthus present an attractive appearance.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby thelabel is symmetrically arranged with respect to the box. Another objectis to provide a device in which the adhesive is accurately andeconomically applied to the parts to be glued, without waste and withoutgumming up adjacent parts.

Still another object of the inventionis the provision of a practical andefiicient devicefor feeding boxes into position to be labeled.

Another object is the simple and efficient removal of the labeled boxesfrom the machine.

Another object is to provide a labelingmachine which accommodates itselfto the requisites of rapid. operation, conserving material and avoidinglong stops.

Other objects Will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter. I

v The .invention accordingly consists in the,

features of construction, combinations of .elements and arrangement ofparts which will be exemplified in. the construction hereinafter setforth, and the scope of. the application of which will be indicated inthe following claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of the possibleembodiments of this invention, Figurel is a plan view of the labelingmachine; Fig. 2 is a view of the la beling machine from the side, themain driving shaft and some other parts being shown as parallel to acentral line through the glue tank and rotary carrier for convenience ofillustration; Fig. 3 is a plan showing the box .carrier plate, enlarged,and partly broken away to disclose its operating mechanism; F ig. 4 isan elevation of a portion of the machine, and showing the bed plate andthe box carrier plate partly in section to disclose their relationshipmore clearly; Fig. 5' 1s a section through the main driving shaft andshowing the operating connections for the cross head; Fig. 6 is a.sideelevation showing the relationshipbetween said parts; Figs. 7 and 8 areenlarged side and front views, respectively, showing one of theauxiliary pressers and its operating connections with the main shaft;Figs. 9, 10, 11,

12, 13 and 14 are detail views of the glue pad, spring presser pad andthe label holdlng dev1ce;- F 1g. 15 is a view, showing an other of theauxiliary pressers and its operating mechanism; Fig. 16 shows a stopde-' vice; Fig. 17 is a side view, partly in section, of a portion ofthe glue applymg mechanism; Figs. 18 and 19 are detail views of some ofthe parts of the glue applying mechanism; v 20 and 21 are plan anelevation views, respectively, showing the relationship of the :glueapplying roller and the tension device therefor; Figs. 22 and 23 areplanand elevation views, respectively, showing the box feeding belt andthe box retainer; Fig. 244s an elevation showing the box retainingfingers and their operating devices Fig. 25 is a detail of a plungeroperating in connect-ion with the box re tainer; 26 is an inverted planshowing the pivotal supporting devices for the box retainingfingers;Fig. 27 is an elevation of Fig. 28 is an elevation of a portion of the.ox

feeding device and the picker mechanism,

showing their relationship to the box retainer and the coiiperativemechanism; Fig.

tion of the machine, showing the stripping the picker rod and theattached picker fin er; v

mechanism; Fig. 31 is an elevation of a ortion'of the strippermechanism; Fig, 32

is a detail plan of the operating mechanism for the glue rolieroperating lever.

as a detail of a stripper finger; and Fig. 33

The general arrangement of the preferred embodiment of the invention, asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, comprises a;

movable carrier fora plurality of boxes, a box supplying device, bymeans of which boxes are fed to a certain position ad acent the boxcarrier; mechanism operating 'to the box on the carrier, and adapted atproper times 'to cotiperate therewith, and mechanism for stripping thelabeled box from the carrier and throwing 1t to one side.

The detailed construction of the mechanisms' above referred to. may, ofcourse, be

varied and their association in different relationships may belndlcatedby general or specific terms within the spirit of the resultsaccomplished by such associated elements without departing from theinvention.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, thenumeral 1 represents a table sufficiently elevated to dispose theoperating mechanism at a convenient height for manipulation andproviding space beneath to accommodate a portion of the operatingmechanism.

2 indicates an elevated horizontal bed plate having supporting uprightwebbed portions, and securely fastened to .the upper surface ofthetable. Projecting upwardly from an intermediate portion of the bed plateis a cylindrical bearing 3 terminating in a fixed platform 1 adapted toserve as a support for some of the elements of the machine.- Apreferably circular rotary box supporting and carrying table or disk 5sur rounds the bearing 3, the'periphery of said disk being flanged as at6 to provide a space between the bed plate and the body of the rotarydisk 5 to accommodate operating connections for the disk. Secured to thebottom of the disk 5, within the space abovereferred to, is a Genevagear wheel 7 comprising the radial slots 8 and the curved peripheralportions 9. The gear wheel has a de pending hub portion 10 which restsupon the bed plate and is secured to and supports the box carrier diskwith the bottom portion of its flange 6 slightly above said plate. Thusthe hub 10 forms a supporting journal for I the carrier 5. p 11indicates a wheel having a pin 12 adapted to engage the slots of theGeneva gear wheel, the wheel 11 having a hub or circular peripheralportion adapted to engage the curved portions 9 of the Geneva gear andlock the same against movement except when the pin cooperates with theslot of said gear. Provision is made for the movement of the Geneva gearby cutting away a portion of the pin wheel, as at(13." With theabovedescribed construction it will be evident that as the pin wheelrotates the Geneva gear is rotated intermittently, step by' step, for acertain amount, and between the periods of its movement is locked by thehub of the pin wheel, the concentric portion of the hub of which at thattime engages the curved portion 9 of the gear. In the present instancethe Geneva gear is rotated one-eighth of a revolution for everyrevolution'of the pin wheel, in order to comport with the operationsupon the box in the present embodiment of the invention, as willhereinafter appear.

' J ournaledin hangers 14 beneath the table is a short horizontaldriving shaft 15 having a small pinion 16 and driven by a belt wheel 17anda clutch 18, which latter may be operated in any suitable manner tothrow the shaft 15 i-.nto and out of operation. Supported in standards19 on the table is a main horizontaldriving shaft 20 whichpassesfreelythrough thewebs of the bed plate and carries a bevel toothed wheel21 at its inner end. A first vertical shaft 22 extends from the table 1through the bed plate and to the end of the same, above the bed plate,is se-.

cured the pin wheel 11. The vertical shaft 22 is provided with a bevelgear 23 which meshes with the bevel gear 21 secured to the main drivingshaft, the gears 21 and 28 being preferably of the same size. The shaft22 is further provided with a gear wheel 24 meshing with a gear wheel 25of the same size on a second vertical shaft 26 suitably journaled andsupported. between the bed I plate and the table 1 and extending throughand below said table, for a purpose hereinafter described. The secondvertical shaft is provided with a bevel gear 27 meshing with a drivingand similar gear 28 on a horizontal shaft 29, through which motion iscommunicated to the box supply devices,-

hereinafter described. A third vertical shaft'30 is suitably journaledand supported above the fixed table 1 and has a gear 31 meshing with thegear 25 .of the second vertical-shaft and of the same size as gear 25and driven therefrom. The shaft 30 is provided with a bevel gear 32which communi cates motion to a stub shaft 33, which in turn, by meansof sprocket wheel and chain connections, drives a horizontal gluefeeding roller shaft 34:. It will now be evident that the continuousrotation of the main driving shaft 20, from the shaft 15, willcommunicate continuous rotary motion to the first vertical shaft 22 andto the pin wheel 11, and that for every complete rotation of the maindriving shaft the box carrying disk 5 will be rotated through one-eighthof a complete revolution.

To the upper face of the disk 5 are secured blocks or box rests ofavsizeto accurately fit and support in stationary position the elementsor boxes to which labels are to be applied. As shown, each box restconsists of a rectangular block 35 having av flat top and sides and adove tailed extension 36. The desired number of blocks, in this instanceeight, are equally spaced around the disk near the periphery thereof andare adjustably held and clamped inposition by complementary wedge blocks37 engaging the-dovetailed portions, and adjusting and clamping screws38, which, when set up,

clamp the rest between the wedge blocks,-

and at the same time clamp. the rest to the v disk 5, the screws passingthrough brackets attached to the disk 5.

As the disk or rotary table 5 is moved by its operating mechanism thebox rests move in an endless path intermittently, their periods of restbeing preferably longer than their periods of motion. VVithin' the timeconsumed by each cycle of operation'of the machine all the operationsfrom feeding a box to ejecting'a labeled box are performed,-

anda sufficient "number of box rests is pro- -'vided so that the severalsteps in the production of the labeled box are practicallysimultaneously.performed, though each step in the simulta'neousoperation is confined to a different box.

In applying a label to'an article, andespecially in securing a label to,an article by means of an adhesive, which is the result accomplished bythe present embodiment of the invention, a finished appearance and se"cu-re attachment are'desirable, and as each securing element orsubstance has its own attribute, the manipulations to fasten a label toa box by means of one substance, such as an adhesive, might not resultin a similar secure attachment if employed in con- I be nection withanother fastening means.

Therefore, while the present embodiment of the invention is designed toembrace any mode' or means of attachment which does not depart from itsspirit, it is found desirable to perform the operations hereinafterreferred to, to the end that labels may be securely attached totheboxes, present a finished appearance and admit of the labeling of anumber of boxes in a short period of time. I

,1 The present embodiment is intended to label box elements which areopen or uncovered, such as one element of a two part cigarette box, andthe rests 35 are designed of the boxes are freely engaged by the rests,

the flanges fitting nicely therearound and ing, labeling and pressingmay be efiiciently the top faces ofv the rests brace the head, while theflanges prevent lateral movement of the box. Complete cigarette boxesare usually composed of two halves or sections, which inclose thearticles, each section comprising a head and as'peripheral flange,either section being adapted to serve as the container or as the cover.llhen such open sections or boxes are operatedupon in this machine, theyare so disposed that when applled to the box rests the head rests uponthe surface of a rest which latter supports the head a. very importantadjunct when the head is of flexible materiahas the head is therebybraced, its surface or wall being maintained in such a plane that theglue will be applieduniformly thereover, so that. the labels may beaffixed thereto and present a smooth and even condition free fromwrinkles and air bubbles and uniformly glued. In the present embodimentthe inner walls preventing lateral movement relative thereto whereby asthe boxes are carried to positions where labeling operations etc. areperformed they will be accurately located relatively free character oftheir holding means and the labeled wallwill be pressed between the padand the surface of the rest. The boxes are fed to the box rests; glue isapplied to the horizontally presented outside surface of the box, alabel is placed upon the glued surface, the label is then pressedquickly several times, or patted, as it were, against the box, whichlatter operation has a tendency to squeeze out any air bubbles which mayhave been retained beneath the label, and also causes the label to morefirmly adhere. A strong but. yielding pressure is then applied tothelabel and finally a further plurality of pressures is applied tocomplete the labeling operation. Each of these several operations isperformed one after the. other duringthe operation of the machine, andfinally the box is disengaged 39 indicatesa crosshead ot a movable 130tively to said mechanisms despite the relaor stripped from the rest,being thrown the plunger,'which are connected at their upper portions bythe cross head 39, and at their lower portions intermediate the bedplate and the fixed table by a cross piece 41 securely clamped to eachrod at its ends, respectively. The guiderods 40 respectively passthrough alined guide openings in the fixed table and bed plate and theirposition in said openings may be accurately determined by means ofeccentric bearings 42. The plunger is designed to reciprocate ver-'tically, for a purpose hereinafter described,

and in order to effect such movement the main driving shaft 20 isprovided with a cam 43 which cooperates with the roller of a rock lever44 pivoted at one end to a standard 45 on the table and at its other endconnected by,a link 46 to the cross piece 41. As the shaft 20 rotates,reciprocatory motion is communicated to the cross head in a manner whichwill be obvious from the construction just described, and

the contour of .the cam 43 is, of course,

designed to efiect suchmovement to the proper extent and' at the propertime in the operation of themachine. Preferably the standard 45 islocated beneath the bed plate between the'webs thereof and the lever 44extendsbetween said Websto the opposite side of the bed plate, where itis connected to. the cross head, in the manner described.

The plunger just described carries devices for eflfecting several of theoperations in labeling the box. Laterally projectipg from the cross head39 is an arm 47 which supports a glue pad carrier 48 above and invertical alinement with the pathof the box rests and in that point ofthe path Where the box rests are held stationary by the opera- ,tion vofthe driving devices of the carrier disk 5. It is preferable to apply theglue to the boxes by means of a yielding or elasticallyconstructed-carrier, and to this end the carrier 48 comprises a plate 49secured beneath the arm 47 below which is a preferably rectangular plate50 spaced from the the box to be glued, so that the glue will be appliedto a definite portion of the box wall. the labels being superposedthereon and neatly glued at their edges as well as at their bodyportions to the box wall. It is designed to apply glue to the pad and tosubsequently lower the pad so that its glued surface shall contact withthe box on the box rest immediately therebeneath, this latter movementbeing accomplished by the downward movement of the cross head 39.

Inasmuch as the pad may be reciprocated by the cross head when the boxis not in position on the rest, it is designed that the pad, under suchcircumstances, when in its lowest position shall not touch the uppersurf-ace of the box rest. 7 Fingers 54 are accordingly secured to thebed plate 2 and the platform 4 and project horizontally over the edgesof the rest. The distance between the fingers 54 and the surface of therest 35 is such that they will'contact with the shoulder 53 of the gluepad and stop its descent before it reaches the surface of the rest. Whena box .is in position on the rest, its thickness fills up a part of 'thedistance between the fingers and the upper surface of the rest,permitting the glued surface of the pad to contact with the box. Whenthe glue pad retreats from glue applying position on the box the lattermight adhere to the pad, and the fingers 54 also serve as strippers todetach the box from the pad.

On the cross head 39 is a label holder which preferably comprisesrectangularly arranged vertical walls 55 cast integral with the crosshead. The walls are of a sulficient vertical extent to accommodate. aseries of superposed labels, Depending from the innor face of the upperportion of each wall are elastic devices consisting of thin steel plates56 oppositely arranged in pairs .and having small fingers or pointedprojections 57 at their bottom edges, which projections extend inwardlyand serve to partially support the labels. The series or bundle oflabels is placed in the holder with the plates 56 engaging the edges ofthe labels of the bundle, and by means of the set screws 58 said platesmay be adjusted toward and from each other to grip the bundle of labelswith more or less tension, thus supporting the labels sufiicientlysecurely in position,

7 but permitting them to feed downwardly by of the box which has beenglued in the manner hereinbefore referred to.

It willbe observed that the label holder is of substantial construction,and that its location on the cross head, which is accurately .guided inits movements, conduces to the accurate and symmetrical application ofing Withdrawn. As the retreat of the label holder might tendto draw thebox from its rest should the bottom label for any reason adhere theretoor to the'bundle of labels, light springs 59 are secured to projectinwardly"fro-m opposite walls of the holder, preferably at diagonallyopposite points,

and at distance vertically from the wall of the holder. When the labelis .applied to the box the springs 59 are flexed and their recovery onthe retreat of the holder retains the box upon its rest until the labelhas been disengaged from the bundle.

Reciprocating in vertical alinemen't with the path of the boxes,- at apoint in the path where the box is temporarily arrested, after the labelhas been transferred to the box, is' an auxiliary presser block 60,which may be shod with a suitable yielding material, such as spongerubber. This pressure block is designed to give the -first pressure tothe label after it has been applied to thebox, and it is obvious thatsaid presser block. may be connected with the cross head; It isdesirable however, to at this time apply to the label a series of blowsor taps tending to spread the label in an even surface over the box andsqueeze out any air bubbles which may have collected beneath the label.To this end, therefore, the presser 60 is carried by a verticallyreciprocating rod 61, to

which it is adjustably secured, said rod reciprocating in guides 62, 63attached to the sides of the bed plate and the table, respectively. Aspring 64, fastened at its upper end to the bed plate and connected atits lower end. to the rod 61, tends to maintain the presser 60 inelevated position. A lever 65 is connected at one end to the rod 61 bymeans of a link. 66, and the other end of the lever cooperates with acam 67 on the main driving shaft. Said camis proyided with a series ofalternate and comparatively closely arranged raised and depressedportions 68, 69, which positively and-quickly vibrate the presser 60several times when the label is in position therebeneath, thus applying.thereto a series of taps or blows, for the purpose above explained. I

Projecting laterally from the cross head 39, in alinement with anotherstationary portion of the box rests, is an' arm 70 which supportsanother presser block comprising the presser block carrier 71 and aplate 72 having a face or shoe 73 of sponge rubber, said plate beingspaced and loosely supported from the plate 71 by means of the guiderods .74, projecting from the plate 72, and loosely springs 75surrounding the rods 74 and interposed between the plates 71 and 72. Itwill be seen that as the cross head recipr0 cates this presser pad willdescend upon the label and press the same against the box with apressure depending upon the strength of the springs 75.

At still another point in the path of the box, where the box temporarilycomes to rest, is an additional auxiliary presser block 76 similar inconstruction to the block 60 and, like it, designed to apply a series ofblows, and in this .instance the pressure applied may be stronger'thanthat applied by the blocks 60, if desired. The 'presser block 76 is adjustably connected to a rod-7 7, adapt-' ed to reciprocate in guides 7Sand 79 on the bed plate and fixed .table. One end of a lever 80 isfulcrumed on a short standard 81, and its opposite end is pivotallyconnected to'the rod 77. A spring 82 connected to the rod and bed plateyieldingly holds the presser block 76 in elevated position. A cam 83 isarranged in the shaft 20 to operate the lever 80, and like the cam 67has a series of alternate and comparatively closely arranged raised anddepressed portions 84: and 85 which positively and quickly vibrate thepresser '7 6 against a labeled box therebenath. Located to one side ofthe path of the boxes, at a point in the path where stripping mechanismdesigned to remove the boxes from the box rests and throw them to oneside into a basket or other suitable re: ceptacle. As has beenhereinbefore described, the bearing 3 of the bed plate ter minates in aplatform 4;, and said platform may extend partially over the-disk 5 toprovide additional area, without interfering with the movement of theboxes. Mounted upon the platform is a bracket 87 having an "upstandingperforated guiding lug orshoulder 88. A plunger rod 89 is designed tohorizontally reciprocate in the opening in the shoulder and radially ortransversely of the vertical plane of movement of the boxes. Therear-portion of said plunger is pivotally connected to one end of anoperating. trip lever 90 intermediately pivoted the boxes pass afterhaving been labeled, is a 3 at 91 on the platform 4 and having anadjustable" trip finger 92 adapted to cooperate with a series of fixedprojections on the rotary carrier 5.

In the present embodiment of the invention the blocks or box rests aremade use of.

as fixed projections, the extremity of the trip finger being disposed inthe path of one of the corners ofeach block so that said corners willcontactwith the extremity of the trip finger and operate the lever 90 toretract the plunger 89. A spring93 surrounds the rod 89, between the lug88 and a collar on theinner portion of the plunger, this spring beingpreferably freely movable projections on the box carrier. The plunger 89is horizontally disposed above the upper surface of the box rests andhas a depending finger 95, which terminates short .of the upper surfaceof the box rests and,

when not retracted, the finger 95 hangs ver-- tically over the path ofthe rests. A bar 96 is secured to the presser 76, extends beneath theplunger 89 and has two depending .resilient arms 97, one on-either sideof the plunger and having projecting hooked portions 98 and lowerbeveled portions 99.

The cam which operates the auxiliary presser 7 6 is provided with anoperating portion 100 which depresses the hooks 98 below the uppersurface of the box rests'35, and said projections are designed to engagethe lower edges of the boxes and raise the same from the restsat theirinner side.

'The operation of the stripping mechanism will now be apparent. As theboxes .come to rest, a corner of one of the box rests will contact thetripper finger 92 or be about to do so. While the boxes are at rest thepresser 76 willvibrate and perform its pressing operation upon the labelthereunder, the projections 98 of the stripper fingers 97 playing up anddown beneath the edge of the box. As the box rests then begin to move,the one in contact with the trip finger 92 will at once cause theretraction of the plunger'89 and place the finger 95 inside of butclosely adjacent the path of the boxes. Immediately thereafter and whilethe box rests are moving, the high portion of the cam which operatespresser 76 becomes effective and said presser will 7 be depressed toa'greater extent than when it was vibrated and theprojections 98 willengage beneath the inner edge of the box and lift the lower edge of thebox on that side above the upper surface of the box rest 35, thusplacing the box horizontally in position before the retracted springfinger 95, and at this time the finger 92 escapes its operatingprojection, in this instance the wall of the box rest, and the spring94L thrusts the finger 95 forwardly, causing it to push or knock the boxfrom the rest, the spring 93 acting as a yielding stop and maintainingthe finger 92 inthe path of the next rest or projection. On account ofthe inclined position which the box assumes when raised by the fingers97, in the manner hereinbefore described, the blow of the finger 95'notonly throws the box to one side, but causes itto turn so as todrop,labelside up, into a receptacle placed at a suitable and convenientpoint.

In the present embodiment the stripping rangement and proportion oftheparts maybemodified to effect the stripping at any other suitable point.I

The preferred substance to secure the labels tothe boxes comprises anadhesive such i as paste or glue, the same being applied to the parts bymechanism which automatically and accurately coats one of the parts,

preferably the box element, with'the'adhe" sive. It is evident, however,that the coating mechanism may be employed to coat parts with othersubstances which would take part in effecting the affixing of the labelto the box, and such uses are therefore not outside the purview of thispart of the in vention.

Glue is applied to the .glue pad 'by a roller moving thereoverand-to andfrom a glue supply device. Mounted on the fixed table 1 is a glue tanktable 101 which is substantially in line with an extension of the bedplate 2. Supported upon the glue tank table is a glue reservoircomprising a glue .tank 102, through which passes the shaft 34 of a gluefeeding roller 103, which dips into the glue in the tank. The shaft '34passes through the sides. of the tank 102 and is supported by standards104 on either side of the tank. Mounted at opposite sides of the forwardportion of the tank are plates 105 which extend above the tank and havehorizontal slots 106 in their forward and rear edges, in which arelocated bearing boxes 107 held in place in the slots by plates 108secured respectively to the inner and outer edges of the plate 105.- Supported by the bearing box in the rear slot 106 is a gage roller 109which may be adjusted toward and from the feed roller to regulate thethickness ofthe glue carried beyond the gage roller and transferred to.the glue delivery roller 110, which is mounted parallel with the feedroller 103 on a shaft 111 supported in the forward bearing box 107. Aspring is interposed between the forward bearing box and therear wall ofthe slotl06, to provide for the ready adjustinent of the roller 110toward and from the roller 103, by a set screw as clearly shown; Theamount of adhesive taken from the roller 103 may be quickly regulatedbythis means. The gage roller and the supply roller are continuouslydriven through toothed gears attached thereto-respectively outside thetank, and meshing with a gear wheel on the'shafft 34.

j The standards 1 04 extend toward each other at their upper portionsand support one end of horizontal guide rods 112 in substantiallyvertical alinement with the walls of the glue tank. Each guide rod-112is composed of upper and lower parallel portions 113, 114 spaced apartand forming slots therebetween within which reciprocates-the sides of aframe 115 formed of parallel spaced connected bars having reinovablymounted at one end between the plate is provided with a groove 119having inclined walls to receive and guide the edge of the roller 117.Brackets 120 project from the platform 4 and serve to support the guiderods 112 at their inner ends. The frame 115 is adapted to reciprocateinthe guide bars 112 to inove the roller 116 from the glue supply roller110' to the glue pad and in order to effect this movement, said frame ispivotally joineda't its rear portion by an adjustable connecting rod 121to the upper end of a glue roller operating lever 122 fulcrumed on abracket 123 mounted on the supporting table of the machine, the lowerend of the lever 122 being pivotally joined to a connecting rod124; by alink 125. Mounted beneath thetable 1 is a horizontal rock Mm 126pivotally connected to the rod 124 and providedwith a cam roller ,127which is engaged by a horizontally arranged cam 128 immediately drivenfrom the lower portion of' the second vertical shaft 26. A strong spring129 is connected to the end of the lever 122and to the frame of themachine to maintain the roller 127 in contact with the cam and cause theoperation of the -lever 122 in one direct-ion. In operation,

the main driving shaft communicates motion through the gears 24 and 25to the shaft 26, which in turn, through the cam 128, the lever 122 andconnecting devices, reciprocates .the' frame 115, moving the roller 116and delivering glue from the glue supply roller t o-the glue pad on thecross head 39. The movement of the roller 116 across and in contact withthe face of the glue pad preferably takes place while the box rests areinoving from one position to an immediately succeeding position, andconsequently the glue pad 18 at a suflicient elevation at thls time topermit the roller 116 to pass across the path of the boxes and applyglue to the pad without coming in contact with the boxes. The gluetransfer.

roller being separate from the .glue tank offers a means of renewing thesupply of glue in the tank and otherwise attending to the same withoutinterfering with the .transfer of glue to the pad.

When the glue applying roller 116 leaves the rotating roller'llO, orrolls off of either endof the glue pad, rotary motion has beencommunicated thereto which may continue 'until -said roller again makescontact with thepad/ This motionmay be the reverse .of that given by itsnext contact with the pad, and under such conditions a disproportionateamount of glue might be applied to the pad at itsiedge, and it isdesirable, therefore, to bring the roller in contact with the pad whilethe roller has no rotary motion, or motion only in the direction whichis given by immediate subsequent contact.

Furthermore,- the roller, when applying glue to the "pad, shouldpreferably "roll thereon. Mechanism is accordingly. pro vided to governthe rotarymotion of the roller 116 before. it contacts with the pad andto insure rolling motion while in contact, comprising thefriction roller117 and the plate 118. Friction, roller 117 contacts with. the plate 118just before, the roller contacts with the .pad and in its passage .95across the pad the friction roller 117 rolls along the plate 118, thedirection of-its rotary movement on the'plate being the same as that ofthe rotary movement com municated to the roller 116 by its movementacross the pad. When the roller 116 leaves the pad it might continue torotate until it returned 'thereto and for this reason the friction plate118 projects beyond the opposite end of the pad so as to contact withthe 10 frlctlon roller 117 just before the delivery roller contactswiththe pad on its reverse movement. Thus the contact of the roller 116 wlththe'pad is made when the roller 'has practically no rotary motion or hasrotary motion in the same direction as that communicated thereto bycontact with the pad, and 1n 131118 manner is prevented the applicationof a disproportionate amount of glue to the ends 'of the glue pad andthe subsequent application of a blot of glue to the surface of the box,-as explained above, thus efi'ectingthe application of a uniform surfaceof adhesive to the boxes.

It is apparent that the articles to. which labels'areto be applied maybe placed upon the blocks 35 by hand or byasuitable automatic mechanism,and as it is designed to produce a labeling machine which shall performall of its functions automatically, in-

cluding the feeding of the boxes, the automatic feeder shown in thedrawin s efiiciently and specially coiiperates with the type of labelaflixing device. The endless belt 130 is supported upon rollers 131, 132one. frame 130

